Self-holding and self-driving drilling system

Abstract

A self-holding drilling system utilizes a vacuum gripping base and an air extraction pump to apply a holding force toward an object surface while maintaining surface-ward pressure on a drilling apparatus mounted therein. The pump extracts air from two discrete, but coupled volumes: a volume associated with the vacuum gripping base and a volume related to one or more piston tubes mounted transversely to the vacuum gripping element and movably coupled to the drilling apparatus. The surface area of the piston tubes is less than the surface area of the vacuum gripping base, which ensures the holding force is sufficient to prevent the drilling system from lifting from the object surface while also ensuring a driving force on the drilling apparatus is always less than the holding force. Thus, the operation of the drilling apparatus automatically drills into an object surface without requiring manual pressure on the drilling apparatus.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A self-holding, self-driving drilling system, comprising:
 a vacuum gripper base comprising a drilling aperture, a sealing element, and an air extraction means,
 wherein the sealing element comprises one or more seals disposed within one or more channels of the vacuum gripper base and a seal disposed within a channel around the drilling aperture, 
 wherein a holding force causes the sealing element to conform to an object surface when the vacuum gripper base is pressed thereagainst during regular operation due to a pressure differential between an immediate environment and a first volume contained by: the sealing element, the vacuum gripper base, and the object surface; 
 
 a drilling assembly coupled to the vacuum gripper base, comprising:
 a drilling apparatus positioned over the drilling aperture; 
 one or more piston tube(s) mounted to the vacuum gripper base in alignment with the drill apparatus, wherein a linear operation of the piston tube(s) moves the drill apparatus in a vertical direction with respect to the vacuum gripper base; 
 wherein the piston tube(s) contain a second volume 
 wherein the holding force is proportional to a first surface area of the first volume and the delta pressure between the first volume and the immediate environment, wherein the holding force effectively holds the self-holding drilling system to the object surface; 
 wherein a driving force exerted upon the drilling apparatus is equal to an opposing force exerted upon the drilling apparatus by the object surface and is proportional to a second surface area of the second volume and the delta pressure between the second volume and the immediate environment; and 
 wherein the holding force is greater than the driving force because the first surface area is greater than the second surface area, allowing the drilling apparatus to be urged into the object surface without lifting the vacuum gripper base from the object surface nor compromising the sealing element. 
 
 
     
     
       2. A self-holding, self-driving drilling apparatus, comprising:
 a vacuum gripper base comprising a drilling aperture; 
 a drilling assembly mounted to the vacuum gripper base over the drilling aperture, the drilling assembly comprising one or more piston tubes configured to move the drilling assembly in a vertical direction with respect to the vacuum gripper base; 
 a sealing element disposed within one or more channels of the vacuum gripper base;
 wherein a holding force causes the sealing element to conform to an object surface when the vacuum gripper base is pressed thereagainst, 
 wherein the holding force is proportional to: a first surface area of a first volume contained by the vacuum gripper base, the sealing element and the object surface; and a pressure differential between the first volume and an environment around the first volume, and 
 wherein a driving force weaker than the holding force is exerted upon the drilling apparatus that is proportional to: a second surface area of a second volume contained by the piston tube(s) and a pressure differential between the second volume and an environment around the first volume.